By DEB GRUVER

Staff writer

When Tammy Snelling retired as clinic manager of St. Luke Medical Clinic, she knew she would need to do something else — both for financial reasons and to keep herself busy.

She works as teacher’s aide in the mornings at Marion Elementary School and in the afternoons as a caregiver.

She started Tammy’s TLC, a limited liability company registered with the state, in February 2022.

Tammy’s TLC provides assistance for elderly people with such things as cooking, household cleaning and laundry, and taking baths or showers.

“There just seemed to be a need for it,” she said. “So I have young kids in the morning, and then I have the elderly in the afternoon.”

What she really does, she said, is provide companionship. Some elderly people in society don’t have family or anyone to talk to.

“Companionship, always,” she said when asked about her services. “I try to talk to them about how their day is going, how their week is going.”

Snelling has eight clients and helps them as often as needed or as schedules allow.

“Some are two or three times a week, and some once a week,” she said.

The number of clients changes — “one might go to a nursing home or be in the hospital,” she said.

Sometimes clients hire her themselves, and sometimes their family does.

“It’s nice to have the elderly enjoy you coming,” Snelling said.

She doesn’t provide transportation or more than run-of-the-mill cleaning.

“Somebody had called me one time to see if I wash outside windows,” she recalled.

Her answer was: “Yeah, I don’t think so.”

Snelling is not a nurse or a certified nursing assistant.

“I just do basic care for people living at home independently,” she said. “There are one or two who live with their family.”

She charges an hourly rate and works Monday through Friday. Most of her work comes through word-of-mouth or referrals.

To get started, she meets with potential clients “to make sure it’s a good match for them and for me.”

Her client list is full, but she keeps a waiting list.

“I like doing it,” she said. “It helps people out.”